KAT Named Outstanding Transit System – North America

Communications Director

KAT Named Outstanding Transit System – North America

Posted: 06/21/2017

Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) is pleased to announce that the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has recognized KAT with the 2017 Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award for small transit systems (less than 4 million passenger trips/year). The award, based on a variety of factors such as sustainability, innovation, and efficiency, was announced by Mayor Madeline Rogero at Knoxville Station today.

“We have always known that we have a great transit system in Knoxville,” says Rogero. “It is exciting to see KAT recognized by the entire North American transit industry.”

The award considers the past three years (2014-2016) and analyzes eleven different elements of transit service including safety and operations, access and customer service, financial management and workforce development among others.

Some of the factors that led to KAT’s win include:

• a 20% reduction in preventable accidents along with workers compensation claims reduced by half;
• a creative transit maintenance alliance resulting in a joint procurement for buses that saved $70,000 per bus;
• Improvements in service made to 14 of 23 routes within the past three years, including later evening service, improved frequencies and more weekend service;
• Cross training and combining departments to improve efficiency and increase customer service hours for the public;
• Innovative outreach methods that gather public input on KAT’s services while providing transparency and feedback;
• Marketing that leverages dollars by focusing on partnerships and social media

“Congratulations to Knoxville Area Transit for being selected as the best small public transportation system in North America,” said APTA Acting President and CEO Richard A. White. “This is a very prestigious award. Through its achievements in the past three years, Knoxville Area Transit has demonstrated that it is a leader in the public transportation industry and a role model for other public transit systems.”

KAT has continued to make exciting advances in 2017 as well. As of December, KAT now offers free wifi on all buses; Google Trip Planner provides transit information and trip planning easily; KAT unveiled a new website and text messaging services last week, and is currently in the process of acquiring real-time bus location information for passengers via an app.

“I am so incredibly proud of this team and all that they have accomplished in the past three years,” says Dawn Distler, Director of Transit for the City of Knoxville. “They have worked so hard, and it is exciting to see their work recognized at a national level.”

KAT plans to have a celebration later in year to thank the community for its support and recognize the employees and partners who made this recognition possible.